A Fresh Start
by kirauza343
Summary: Blake just a wants a roommate that isn't racist. Yang wants one that will treat her just like anyone else. Apparently someone decided that meant they belonged together. University/Theatre AU. Mainly Bumbleby, but with a few references to other ships.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: So during Bumbleby Week I was considering expanding my AU to an actual fic, and lo and behold this happened. It was originally going to be mainly fluff and humor but...well it's tagged hurt/comfort for a reason. I hope you enjoy!**

"I think that's everything," Blake said, taking a look around where she'd be living for the next year. There were still boxes scattered around that needed to be unpacked, but the space didn't look as empty as when she first walked in. Maybe putting some posters up would help?

"I wonder where your roommate is," her mother mused. The other half of the room was incredibly bare, and Blake could tell that her roommate, apparently a Yang Xiao Long, hadn't moved in yet.

"The move in time for our floor isn't over for another half hour," Blake said, noting the time on her recently plugged in clock. "I'm sure she'll be here soon."

"I hope so. I'd like to meet the young woman who's going to be living with my daughter…" her father said, crossing his arms almost sternly. Kali sighed.

"What your father is trying to say is that he wishes that you talked to her over the summer. Sun messaged his roommate almost every other day," she said, and Blake knew she was just worried about her.

It wasn't that she didn't try. After roommate assignments were posted Blake sent her an email with her basic contact information, and she received a response pretty quickly. There just...wasn't much besides that. Blake had been busy, and her roommate seemed to be as well. Yang didn't have a Facebook and a google search turned up nothing, so Blake had no idea what she even looked like. As her eyes caught her reflection in the mirror, and thus her ears, she knew that it went both ways. There was a good chance Yang didn't know what she looked like either, or even that she was a Faunus.

Of course her parents were a bit concerned.

Once, she might've put on a bow to hide her ears, but she wouldn't even consider it now. _This is who I am_ she thought, and reminded herself that college was a fresh start. _No more hiding._ She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of footsteps heading towards her door, and her parents picked up on it too.

"I'm just saying, I'm sure we can work something out to get you roomed with Ruby," the first voice, older and male said.

"Ruby's a big girl, she can take care of herself. Besides, this'll help her branch out and make friends!" The second voice was younger and feminine. Blake's roommate perhaps?

"I'm not suggesting it for her. What if your roommate-"

"I can take care of myself!" the girl interrupted angrily. "Besides, Blake seems pretty cool," she added. So this was her roommate...but what was she talking about? She looked between her parents, who both seem confused.

"A lot of people seem nice until you actually meet them," the girl's dad(?) said. Blake frowned. Did they know she was a Faunus? Was that what they were arguing about? A deep pit began to form in her stomach.

"This is supposed to be a fresh start, dad. I can't do that if you don't trust me to take care of myself," she said, a bit softer now. Someone sighed, Blake was pretty sure it was the father.

"I know, I'm just...I'm worried about you."

"Don't be," she said. "Now come on, I wanna meet my roommate," she said cheerfully. Blake waited expectantly for the sound the key in the door but it didn't come. After a long pause she heard the girl say "I got it" and another awkward moment passed before the sound came. What walked through the door wasn't what Blake had pictured.

Wild blonde hair tied up in a ponytail was what first caught her attention, the color not what she expected for a girl with the last name Xiao Long. She practically stumbled through the door, almost dropping what was in her arm on the floor. "Told you I had it," she said smugly. She was clearly dressed for the warm weather in a tank top and shorts that were almost criminally short, not that Blake minded. Especially with the clear muscle tone the girl had in her legs, her back, and her arm-

Ah.

That explained the argument she and her parents heard. Blake considering offering to help, but decided the blonde might not appreciate it. "You must be Yang," she said instead, noticing for the first time the most beautiful lilac eyes she had ever seen.

"I'm guessing you're Blake right? I mean either that or you've kidnapped my roommate," she joked as she placed the box in her hand on her bed. Blake couldn't help but roll her eyes affectionately.

"Does that happen to your roommates often?" she snarked.

"You'd be surprised," Yang said with a shrug, and Blake decided she liked the sunny girl already. Her eyes flitted up to Blake's ears briefly, and she had to stop herself from flinching. "Oh, I hope we weren't too loud coming down the hall! Sorry about that," she said, and Blake was stunned. Whatever reaction she expected her roommate to have it certainly wasn't this. Normal was disgust or fetishization, not being considerate of her sensitive hearing. Her parents seemed to notice this as well.

"It's fine," Blake said honestly. It was possible that the girl was just putting on act of tolerance in front of her parents, but Blake quickly dismissed that thought. She seemed to wear her heart on her sleeve. After a brief introduction of parents, Yang and her dad ( _Taiyang_ , Blake thought) announced that they still had more things to bring up. "Need a hand?" Blake asked instinctively, thinking nothing of it until she saw her parents' faces.

Yang on the other hand (Blake inwardly cringed at her thought process again) seemed completely unfazed. "Yes actually. I can't seem to find mine anywhere," she joked, earning a groan from her father. "Right, I should probably say that arm and hand jokes are totally fine by me," she added, noting the concerned faces around her.

"What she's trying to say is get used to them, because she'll tell them all the time," Taiyang clarified.

"A girl's gotta cope somehow," Yang said nonchalantly. "Buuuuuut if you're offering help I think we've got it. I think we can get it all in one more trip," she said, to which her dad offered no argument. "See you in a bit!"

"Well she's certainly something," Kali noted after the pair had left. "I like her," she said innocently, but the look in her eyes told Blake that she had caught her not-so-subtly checking her out earlier.

"She seems nice," Blake agreed, fighting a blush. "She doesn't seem to be racist at least," she added.

"Most people don't at first," Ghira warned not unkindly, not that Blake needed the reminder.

"I don't think we'll have a problem," Blake said honestly, recalling the conversation she overheard earlier. _Apparently I'm not the only one looking for a fresh start,_ she thought. "I'll be fine, I promise," she assured them.

"Of course you will. You're our strong, wonderful daughter," Kali said, hugging her with a smile. Ghira quickly engulfed them both.

"If you need anything, you only need to call," he said warmly.

Blake smiled as she squeezed them tightly. "I'll miss you both."

* * *

Yang let out a deep sigh as she collapsed on her bed. Her side of the room now looked semi-respectable, so she decided take a moment to bask in the peace and quiet of her new room. _Well,_ our _room,_ she mentally corrected, looking over to her roommate's bed where the girl in question was currently reading.

They hadn't spoken much in the hour that they'd known each other, but Yang didn't mind. Blake hadn't stared at her arm, so she was already a huge improvement from her so-called friends from high school. She also had this dark and mysterious vibe Yang kinda (okay, really) liked.

"Can I help you?" Blake asked, and only then did Yang realize she was staring. She mentally berated herself for doing the exact thing she was thankful her new roommate hadn't done, even if it was by accident.

"Sorry, I didn't realize I was staring," she admitted, deciding honesty was the best policy. She felt a wave of relief when the girl didn't look offended. "So! Uh… where are you from?" She asked, sitting up in one swift motion.

"Menagerie. You?" Blake asked, setting her book down.

"A small town called Patch. It's pretty close to Vale and nothing else," she joked. Blake raised an eyebrow.

"You don't strike me as a small town girl," she observed.

"I've got an uncle that lives in Vale when he's not traveling, so I've spent a lot of time in the city. Nice catch," Yang complimented, genuinely impressed. _She's perceptive_ , Yang thought, and made a mental note not to forget that.

"I moved around a lot as a child," she explained vaguely, and Yang wasn't one to pry. "Do you have any siblings?" She asked.

"Yeah, a little sister named Ruby. She graduated early, so she's a freshman here too."

"She's the one your dad wanted you to room with," Blake said, recognition in her voice. Yang froze, trying to figure out how she knew that before she remembered they had that conversation pretty loudly in the hallway. From her expression, Yang knew Blake hadn't meant to mention it.

"Right, you heard that," she said, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before she sighed. "He was worried you'd be a jerk about the whole arm thing. Well, maybe not a jerk. More like...someone who treated me differently because of it. And I had enough of that in high school," she explained, slightly bitter at the end.

"I get it," Blake said with a knowing smile, slightly surprising Yang. "My parents were worried about you for the same reason, just replace the arm thing with the Faunus thing," she admitted lightheartedly, wiggling her ears for emphasis.

"Well Blake, I will try my best to not be a jerk," she said with a smile. "And if I do something jerkish, let me know and I'll try to do better," she added, completely genuine.

"Likewise," Blake said with a smile of her own. She looked really cute when she smiled.

"Do you know what you're gonna major in?" Yang asked, leaning back against the wall.

"Theater, with a focus on performance and writing," she replied. Yang's eyes immediately lit up.

"Wait, really? Me too!" she announced, her excitement palpable. "Well, minus the writing bit. Hey are you going to the Theater Department Meet and Greet tomorrow?" she asked, almost bouncing with energy.

"I was planning on it. They're supposed to be telling us about the freshman play," Blake said and Yang nodded. Beacon was unusual in that they always dedicated one play in the fall to its freshman theater majors and minors. The cast and crew would be made up almost entirely of first years, with only a few upperclassman helping manage it.

"I wonder what play they're going to do this year. I know it's usually Shakespeare, but I'm hoping it's a comedy this semester. Twelfth Night would be soooooo much fun," she said.

"I'm hoping for Macbeth myself," Blake admitted, and Yang grinned.

"I had a feeling you'd be a tragedy girl," she teased, and Blake rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Hoping to nab the part of Lady Macbeth?" She asked.

"It's one of my dream roles," Blake admitted almost bashfully before sighing. " _But_ , I don't think I've ever seen her played by a Faunus before," she said, and Yang detected a hint of bitterness, not that she blamed her.

"I guess you'll just have to be the first," Yang said optimistically, earning a smile from her roommate.

"I guess I will."

* * *

By the time dinner came around, Blake found herself agreeing to eat with Yang and her sister, and possibly her sister's roommate. She thought she'd be eating with Sun, but she found herself looking forward to spending more time with the newest blonde in her life.

Said blonde was currently knocking on her sister's door with an enthusiasm that made Blake smile. Yang was much sunnier than she expected considering her first impression of her was the argument with her dad. Still, Blake could tell there was more to her than that. Every now and then her smile wouldn't quite reach her eyes or her laugh would be ever so slightly strained.

The smile on her face when the door opened and revealed a girl with short dark hair was completely real though. "Yang!" The girl exclaimed as she hugged her with an enthusiasm that matched the blonde's.

"You two are definitely related," Blake said, amused. Yang laughed at that, a beautiful sound.

"Ruby, this my roommate, Blake. Blake, this is my awesome and adorable little sister Ruby," Yang said, practically beaming with pride. Upon closer inspection Blake realized the pair didn't resemble each other at all physically, but thought nothing of it.

"Nice to meet you Blake!" Ruby said cheerfully, shaking her hand.

"Nice to meet you too," Blake said honestly. "Will your roommate be joining us?" she asked, hearing some movement from inside the room.

"Yes, I will," the person in question said, causing Yang and Ruby to jump. Blake recognized the girl as Weiss Schnee, the heiress to the Schnee Diamond Company. She forced herself to maintain a neutral expression despite her distaste for everything the SDC stood for. "You must be Yang, Ruby's sister," she said, holding out her hand courteously.

"That's me. You're Weiss, right?" Yang replied, a touch of hesitance in her voice. Blake realized Weiss was holding out her right hand and decided to step in.

"Weiss Schnee if I'm not mistaken. My name is Blake," she said, shaking Weiss's outstretched hand. The pale girl seemed to at least have the courtesy to look embarrassed.

"It's a pleasure," Weiss said, overly formal. The four settled into an uncomfortable silence before Ruby spoke up.

"Why don't we all grab some food?" She suggested, and the other three couldn't agree fast enough.

 **Author's note: Updates will probably not be super consistent, but the next chapter shouldn't take too long. It's mostly done; I'm just finishing up some editing.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: I'm not super happy with the first two parts of this chapter, but I think they turned out better than just skipping dinner all together. Heads up, this chapter IS A BIT DARKER. We've got mentions of homophobia and panic attacks, so you've been warned. There will be more chapters with some darker themes, but I will try to put warnings up here for you (let me know if I miss something). Thanks for the reviews, faves, and follows, and I hope you enjoy!**

"So wait…we're all theater majors? Because that's awesome," Yang decided, taking a bite of a French fry. She'd heard horror stories about dining hall food, but this wasn't half bad.

"I'm focusing on directing and theatre history, not performing," Weiss corrected. "Still, it's nice to know other theater majors," she conceded.

"Hey, I'm doing directing too! And set design. Creating entire sets from nothing is just so cool!" Ruby said, and her excitement made Yang smile.

"She's also a pretty good actress when she wants to be," she said, proud of her little sister. "Blake and I are both doing performance, but she's also doing writing, right?" She said, looking over to her roommate to make sure she remembered correctly.

"Yes," Blake, confirmed, causing Yang to frown when she noticed how tense she was. "I'm going to look at the desserts," she announced as she stood. Yang almost went to follow her until Weiss announced that she too wanted dessert. _I'll have to ask her later_ Yang mused with a frown. To her surprise, Ruby did not follow them.

"Are you feeling alright?" Yang asked, concerned. It wasn't like her sister to skip out on dessert. Back home her sweet tooth was legendary.

"I'm fine," Ruby insisted, giving Yang a reassuring smile. "I just wanted to talk. How are you doing?" she asked, almost timidly. Yang had to stop herself from getting irritated. She knew that Ruby meant well and that she wasn't worried for no reason.

"I'm doing good, honest," she said with a genuine smile. Her eyes drifted to her roommate, who seemed to be talking with Weiss. _I hope they're talking things out_ she thought. "Blake's nice. I don't think she likes your roommate though," she observed.

"Have you told her about…" Ruby trailed off, but Yang knew exactly what she was asking. _Did you tell her you're gay?_ She'd told Ruby she wanted to be out when they got to college, to not hide anymore, but the reality was she was kind of (okay, really) terrified.

"Not yet," she admitted, running a nervous hand through her hair. "But I mean I just met her. I want to get to know her so I'll have an idea how she'll react. You know, so I know how to go about it," she stammered, trying to convince herself that it wasn't just because she was afraid.

"I'm sure she'll be fine with it," Ruby said, ever the optimist, but they both knew that wasn't guaranteed.

* * *

"You don't like me."

It wasn't a question, and Blake didn't need to turn around to identify the speaker. "Not really, no," she said, crossing her arms.

"You don't even know me!" Weiss protested, prompting Blake to raise an eyebrow. She sighed. "Look, I understand why you might not be fond of me. The way my family's company treats Faunus is deplorable-"

"That's putting it mildly," Blake deadpanned, earning a glare from Weiss.

"You're right, it is," she admitted. "But I am _not_ my father," she said fiercely, with a determination Blake had to grudgingly respect. "We should at least try to be civil. If not for ourselves, then for our roommates."

"Very well," Blake agreed, deciding to at least give the girl a chance. _You aren't the only person in the world who wants a fresh start_ she reminded herself. She offered a hand, which Weiss accepted graciously. They returned to an unusually quiet table and the rest of dinner passed without incident. By the time they returned to their dorm room, Blake was more than ready to just relax for the rest of the evening.

"Are you okay?" Yang asked as Blake was pulling out a book. Her confusion must've shown on her face, because she continued. "You and Weiss seemed to...not really get along. Not that I blame you because I totally get it, I just want to make sure you're doing alright," she explained as she reclined on her bed. Blake smiled.

"I'm fine, but thank you. Sorry if we made things awkward," she apologized, to which Yang gave a nonchalant shrug, before she seemed to remember something.

"Hey, are you planning on showering tonight or in the morning? Because I take reeeeeeally long showers," The blonde asked, sitting up.

"Tonight."

"Cool, I'm a morning person anyway," she said cheerfully, before turning her attention to her phone and giving Blake a chance to enjoy the peace and quiet. Even after she showered and prepared for bed she could tell that Yang knew she wanted some alone time, at least as much alone time as you could get with a roommate. Blake smiled.

She could definitely live with having Yang as a roommate.

* * *

Surprisingly, dinner hadn't been a complete disaster. Initial awkwardness aside, Weiss seemed like a decent person all things considered. Yang noticed some tension between her and Blake (she assumed due to the SDC's...controversial labor practices) and resolved to keep an eye on it. As she stepped out of the shower feeling nice and refreshed, she quickly slipped into shorts and a tank top. Blake seemed nice, but parading around in a towel seemed a bit much at this stage of their relationship.

When she stepped out of their shared bathroom, she found Blake was already up and taking the time to read. "Good morning!" she sang cheerfully.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were a morning person," she observed, clearly not as awake as her roommate.

"Ruby's one so it was either adapt or suffer," Yang joked. Suddenly she heard a beeping sound that prompted Blake get up from her bed. She moved to the device (a water heater Yang realized) and poured the water into a cup, before setting a tea bag inside of it. "I hope I didn't wake you up," she added, pouring herself some orange juice from their mini-fridge.

"You're fine," she said, before her mouth quirked into a playful smirk. "You're not a bad singer," she said, and Yang immediately flushed. She was so used to being alone or just having family members around that she hadn't even thought about that. Blake seemed to be amused by her lack of composure. "That was Hayley Kiyoko right? I'm more of a Tegan and Sara girl myself," she said, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Yang froze, remembering exactly what it was she was singing and understanding exactly what Blake was implying.

" _What kind of song is this?"_

" _I just looked up the lyrics; it's about a lesbian!"_

" _Oh my god she's a fucking dyke."_

She started to feel like she was suffocating and the next thing she knew she was sitting on the floor and Blake was in front of her, a hand on each shoulder telling her to breathe. "Shit. _Shit." Not again not again please not agai-_

"Yang, look at me," Blake said, calm but firm. Yang somehow found herself doing just that, and was surprised to see concern in her amber eyes. "You're safe here, I promise, but right now I need you to breathe. Can you do that for me?" She asked, earning a shaky nod from Yang. "Do you want me to call your sister?"

"No," Yang stammered immediately, her voice shaky. She tried to focus her attention on Blake, trying to calm herself down.

"Just take a deep breath in...and out," Blake said soothingly. It took a few minutes, but eventually her breathing slowed.

"You're uh, pretty good at this," Yang choked out, trying to lighten the mood a little bit. _Way to go Yang, you didn't even make it 24 hours before freaking out_ , she thought bitterly. "Sorry about that," she apologized.

"Don't apologize," Blake insisted gently. " _I'm_ the one that should be sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories," she said, moving from kneeling in front of Yang to sitting beside her. "I know we just met yesterday, but if you want to talk I'm here."

"I'll be fine, don't worry about it," Yang lied, convincing neither of them even a little bit. Blake frowned.

"Yang, you just had a panic attack. I understand why you don't want to talk about it but you _need_ to. If you don't feel comfortable talking to me I can call Ruby-"

"Please don't," she pleaded, earning a look of confusion. "I don't want her worrying about me," she said. _She's been doing that enough lately_ she thought.

"Then talk to me. _Please_. I want to help you," she said earnestly. Yang sighed. She hated feeling like a burden but felt that Blake deserved an explanation.

"It's not a pleasant story," she warned, folding in on herself.

"It never is," Blake agreed grimly. Yang took that as her cue to begin.

"As you may have guessed, yeah, I'm a lesbian," she admitted. It was only the second time she'd actually admitted it to someone, the first being to Ruby. She had to admit it felt like a relief, especially when Blake didn't recoil with disgust. "Like I told you before, Patch is...a very small town. You know, the close-minded 'everybody knows everybody' kind of town," she said, trusting Blake to pick up the implication.

"You were outed," Blake stated simply. Yang detected a hint of understanding (and was that sympathy?) in her voice.

"I kinda outed myself actually," Yang admitted. "Buuuuut I'm pretty sure a lot of them had guessed already. Guys practically threw themselves at me and I never went out with any of them, I did softball and volleyball, and I'm not exactly a girly-girl. I mean I was basically a walking stereotype," she tried to joke, but it fell flat.

"What happened?" Blake asked gently. Yang hesitated, but reminded herself that she needed to talk about it. She owed it to her after freaking out like that. So, she forced herself to take a deep breath before continuing.

"It was senior year, on our way to the last volleyball game of the season. We had a tradition where a different team member would be in charge of the music we listened to on the way up to each game. As the team captain, I got the last game. I'd been busy with college applications and classes and I didn't have the time to come up with a playlist, so when the time came I just plugged in my iPod and put it on shuffle," she said, and she could see the look of realization hit Blake's eyes.

"Naturally, my iPod decided to play the gayest song I had," she said confirming Blake's suspicions. Yang swallowed, willing herself not to cry "Everyone completely freaked out. By the end of the night we'd lost the game and I'd lost my friends and my reputation. Obviously people gave me a hard time at school, but I was tough. I could handle it," she continued, wiping away a stray tear as she braced herself for what came next.

"Until I couldn't."

* * *

Yang's voice came out small, too small, and Blake couldn't help the sense of dread growing inside of her. She never meant for her innocent comment to lead to this, she was only excited about the possibility that both she and Yang might be attracted to girls. Blake gently rubbed circles on her back, hoping to give her at least some comfort as she worked up the strength to continue.

"It happened a few weeks after the game, just a day or two before winter break. My best friend's boyfriend came up to me and accused me of...he accused me of-" her words were left unheard as a sob escaped her body. It took her a moment to regain her composure and Blake's heart broke for her. "Apparently my best friend was telling people that I'd tried to... _seduce_ her, to turn her gay. My _best friend_ ," she said, devastated and no longer fighting the tears.

Blake was no expert at comforting people, but even she knew that physical contact was sometimes the best solution. So, Blake "not a people person" Belladonna did what she thought would help: wrapped an arm around this girl and squeezed her tightly. When Yang rested her head on her shoulder, Blake decided it had been a good decision. "She sounds like a shitty friend," she said darkly.

"Apparently they all were," Yang agreed bitterly. "I was hurt and betrayed and I just needed to get out you know? So, I decided to drive to Vale. Driving always used to help me clear my head but this time…" she trailed off, her voice growing distant. "I actually don't really remember what happened. I remember it raining, then screeching tires and then just...pain," she said, clutching at her arm instinctively. "Next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital room with my family and without my arm."

"I'm so sorry," Blake said, giving her a tight squeeze. She thought at first that the blonde would argue with her, but she seemed too drained to protest. The pair sat there for a few minutes before Yang spoke.

"I'm sorry for dumping all of this on you," she said, earning a frown from Blake.

"Don't be. I told you I'd be here if you wanted to talk, and something tells me you needed that," she said, getting the feeling that her Yang wasn't used to talking about her problems.

"Still, you didn't ask to get the fucked up roommate," she said, heavy notes of self deprecation present in her voice.

"You're not fucked up, Yang. You went through a lot in very a short amount of time. It's just going to take time to heal from that," Blake said gently, standing and helping Yang up.

"Thanks," she said. "For listening," she quickly added. She bit her lip, and Blake waited patiently for her to speak her mind. "And the whole gay thing doesn't bother you?" she asked, and Blake detected a hint of nervousness.

"Not at all," Blake said honestly, giving Yang a reassuring smile. "In fact, I was trying to tell you earlier that I'm bisexual," she said. She slowly saw the realization bloom on Yang's face.

"Oh god that's what you were trying to do with the music thing and I just completely freaked out I'm-"

"Yang, it's okay," she interrupted gently, stopping the embarrassed girl from apologizing. Before she could say anything else, she heard the oddest sound.

" _In touch with ground, I'm on the hunt I'm after you~"_

"Is that Duran Duran?" Blake asked, confused as she watched Yang reach for her phone.

"Hungry Like the Wolf to be exact. It's Ruby's text and ring tone. When we were kids I used to read Ruby fairy tales every night and Little Red Riding Hood was her favorite. She even used wear a red hood around the house!" Yang explained fondly, starting to sound a bit more like the girl Blake met yesterday. "I change it every now and then, but it's usually wolf related."

"Do you do this for all of your friends?" Blake asked, curious.

"Yeah, actually. I'm still working on what I want yours to be," she replied, taking a look at the message Ruby sent her. Blake felt honored that she was already being considered for her goofy tradition. "Crap," Yang muttered, eyes darting from her phone to her alarm clock. Blake followed her and realized what the problem was.

"The meet and greet," she breathed, looking down at herself. She was still dressed in her pajamas and Yang's hair was still wet from her shower, and according to the clock they were already ten minutes late. Yang quickly typed something into her phone.

"I've asked them to save us a spot and to fill us in, but we should probably hurry if we want to make it," Yang said as she grabbed her brush. Blake silently agreed as she got dressed faster than she'd ever done before. "Sorry for making us late," she added, her earlier cheer disappearing.

"Don't worry about it. Your well-being is more important than being on time," Blake replied easily, earning a small smile from Yang.

"Thank you."

 **Author's note: So this is the chapter that made me realize this story isn't just going to be the cutesy fluffy theatre AU I thought it would be, sorry about that. I'll try to keep a bit more upbeat for the next chapter at least.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Sorry for the delay, but this chapter was a bit of a struggle. It's a bit shorter and I'm not super happy with it, but I just need to post it and get it over with so I can move on. Bleh. Anyway, thanks for all the feedback and I hope y'all enjoy!**

By the time they arrived they were thirty minutes late. Ruby and Weiss found the almost immediately. "Where have you two been?!" Weiss asked.

"Sorry, we overslept," Yang said with a guilty chuckle. The lie came easily enough, and she trusted Blake to interpret it for what it was: a request to keep the morning's incident quiet. Weiss let out a reluctant sigh of acceptance, but from her frown Yang could tell Ruby didn't believe her.

"Why don't we walk around and meet some people. It _is_ a meet and greet after all," Blake suggested. Weiss hummed her agreement, and Yang looked around before her eyes recognized a long ponytail of red hair.

"I think I know where to start," she said with a smile as she walked towards the redhead. "Pyrrha?" She asked, catching the girl's attention. "Pyrrha! I didn't know you were coming to Beacon!"

"Yang?" She asked, clearly surprised to see her. "Hello! I haven't seen you in...well, since last fall. We missed you during softball season," Pyrrha said, a model of friendliness.

"I can't pitch left handed, sorry," Yang said with a small laugh. She maintained her composure even as she saw Pyrrha flinch slightly. "This is Weiss, my roommate Blake, and my sister Ruby," she introduced.

"It's lovely to meet you all," she said with a smile.

"Pyrrha played volleyball and softball at Sanctum. We were both captains junior and senior year, so we've met a few times. She's a pretty amazing athlete if I do say so myself," Yang explained, unable to keep the admiration out of her voice. Blake raised an eyebrow, causing Yang to blush slightly.

"You flatter me, Yang," she said, blushing slightly herself. Yang stiffened, hoping she hadn't made her uncomfortable. "I believe Professor Ozpin is about to speak," she said, giving Yang a reassuring smile, as if to say no harm done. Right on cue, the group heard the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Good morning students. My name is Professor Ozpin and I am the chair for the department of theatre and dance. On behalf of our faculty I would like to welcome you all to Beacon, and to commend you for expressing an interest in our program. I'm sure you are all anxious to find out what this year's freshman play will be. That will be announced along with the cast list after this weekend's auditions," Ozpin said, a glint of amusement in his eyes as the crowd erupted.

"That's...different," Blake observed, earning a mumble of agreements from their group. After several moments, the noise died down.

"As you all are likely aware, all first year theatre students are required to participate," he continued, earning some groans from non-performance majors. "You will need to prepare two separate monologues from two different works, one classical and one contemporary. Neither can be Shakespearean. It would be in your best interest to demonstrate that you have range as an actor or actress. Additional information will be emailed to you sometime this week; in the meantime I wish you luck," he concluded.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur, meeting faculty members and other students. By the time lunchtime hit, Yang had more than doubled her acquaintances, many of whom she believed would be good friends in the future. She was more than happy to agree when someone suggested they all get lunch.

"You guys go ahead, Yang and I will catch up," Ruby encouraged, pulling Yang away despite her protests.

"What's up sis?" Yang asked casually. Ruby frowned.

"What happened?" She asked quietly, concern in her eyes. "Yang, I know you didn't oversleep. You never go anywhere with your hair still wet," she added. Yang smiled.

"I'm fine, I promise," she said honestly. Ruby didn't look convinced. "I had an...incident, but Blake helped me through it," she admitted. Her eyes drifted to her roommate's form. "I'm really lucky to have her," Yang said fondly.

"Okay then," Ruby decided with a smile. "Just...please talk to me if you need to. You've always been there for me, and I want to be there for you," she insisted, and Yang couldn't help but pull her into a bone crushing hug.

"Thanks sis," Yang said, laughing at Ruby's protests of 'too tight!' "Come on, I'm hungry," she said, having mercy and releasing her sister.

* * *

"So…how's the roommate?" Sun asked, taking a sip of his coffee. The coffee shop was pretty empty, but Blake didn't mind.

"She's nice," Blake said simply, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"And outgoing and loud unlike someone I know," he joked. Blake rolled her eyes. "She's not exactly the kind of person I'd expect to not be on social media," he mused.

 _I'm pretty sure I know why she isn't_ , Blake thought, frowning slightly. "I'm sure she has her reasons. Besides, that's her business, not ours," she said. Sun raised his hands defensively.

"I'm just curious," he said, reclining in his seat. A smirk soon grew on his face. "You seem to like her though. I can't remember how many times I saw you checking her out at lunch," he teased. Blake's cheeks lit up.

"It's not like that," she protested, and Sun laughed. Blake _had_ tried to keep an eye Yang, but that was just to make sure she was doing okay. It had nothing to do with how good her biceps looked in that tank top. Or how her eyes sparkled when she smiled. Blake quickly shook those thoughts out of her head. "Besides, she's my _roommate_ ," she reminded him.

"So?" Sun asked bluntly. Blake frowned.

"Dating your roommate is a terrible idea," she pointed out. " _And_ I just met her yesterday and you're assuming she'd even be interested," she added, crossing her arms.

"Hey, she could be. You never know," Sun said with a shrug. Blake sighed.

"Even if she is, I'm not ready for another relationship," she admitted quietly. Sun's expression softened.

"You can't let that stop you forever," he insisted, earning a glare from his friend. "I'm serious! You can't let one douchebag ruin dating for you," he added, and Blake's glare intensified.

"Don't. Joke. Not about that," she bit out as she stood. "I'll see you later Sun," she said, leaving the coffee shop without another word. She knew Sun meant well, but that didn't mean she appreciated his lack of tact.

The trip back to the dorm was a short one, and Blake was already grateful to have a coffee shop so close to campus. As she walked down the hallway, she swore she could hear a pop song playing from her room. _Yang_ , Blake concluded as she unlocked their door. She expected to see Yang either on her phone or her computer, or maybe even putting up posters to liven up their room. She was doing none of those things.

Instead, Blake was greeted by the sight of her roommate mid push-up.

Mid _one-armed_ push-up.

Yang noticed her presence immediately and effortlessly hoisted herself to a seated position. "Hey Blake! Sorry, I thought your coffee date would last longer. The gym's not open today but I didn't want to slack off," she explained, reaching behind her to turn the music off. _So that's where the muscle comes from_ Blake thought, with a new sense of admiration for her roommate. And her roommate's muscles.

"It's fine, I left early," she said, taking a seat in her bed while trying not to blush. "Don't stop on my account," she added, attempting to sound nonchalant. Yang smirked.

"Enjoying the view?" she teased, waggling her eyebrows. It was so over the top that Blake couldn't help but laugh.

"I've never seen someone do a one-armed push-up before. It's impressive," Blake admitted.

"Fun fact, I was able to do them even before I lost my arm," Yang bragged.

"I can believe that, since you're apparently pretty athletic. Volleyball and softball was it?" She asked, a smirk forming on her face.

"Yep, and I've done martial arts since I was little. My dad owns a school back in Patch," she said, oblivious to Blake's intentions.

"I'm sure all that muscle is useful for wooing pretty redheads," she said innocently, earning a deep blush from the blonde. Blake was beginning to realize that she found her cute when she was flustered.

"I was really obvious earlier wasn't I?" She asked with an embarrassed groan.

"Just a little bit. I don't think anyone else noticed if that's what you're worried about," she assured her. "And if the teasing bothers you I can drop it," Blake added after a moment.

"No, it's fine," Yang said hastily. She squeezed her knees to her chest. "It's...nice actually. I've never really had someone to talk to about girls. I'm out to Ruby, but she's not interested in girls. Or romance really. And anyone else who knew I was gay was kinda an asshole," she said with shrug. "But back to Pyrrha, she's totally straight," she said with a small chuckle, quickly shifting the mood back to a more upbeat one.

"That doesn't mean you can't have a crush on her," Blake pointed out with a smirk.

"Yeah, because it's a great idea to like someone who has no chance of liking you back," she said sarcastically, though her smile was lighthearted.

"We don't always choose who we fall for," Blake said, stiffening when she realized what she said. Yang seemed to notice, as her own posture softened. Blake berated herself for her instinctive reaction. It would've been easy to play off as a vague statement had she not froze.

"I'm here if you ever wanna talk. And I'm not just saying that because you heard basically my whole life story this morning," she said warmly, and Blake silently thanked her for not pushing it. "Thanks again for that," she added, running her hand through her hair.

"Thank you for the offer," Blake said simply. The two sat in silence briefly before Yang stood up.

"I'm gonna grab a shower because I'm pretty sure I stink," she said with a chuckle.

"I'll be here," Blake joked, unable to keep a small smile off her face as she grabbed a book.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: Hello again! I've got a quick note for y'all regarding the setting: Remnant is the country while the Kingdoms (Vale, Atlas, etc.) and Menagerie are major cities. Patch and the towns outside of the Kingdoms will be small towns. It's a minor quirk for the setting, but it is relevant. As always thank you for the feedback and I hope you enjoy!**

 _ **Monday**_

Blake sighed as she unlocked the door, exhausted from their first day of classes. She was met with the sight of Yang sitting on her bed, eyebrows furrowed in concentration and tongue sticking out as she worked hard at writing something. Blake had to admit it was kind of adorable. _She's your roommate,_ she reminded herself.

"Homework already?" Blake asked, setting her stuff down. She was fortunate in that all of her professors just used the day to go over syllabi, but knew not every student was so lucky. Yang jumped, apparently having not heard her enter.

"Not exactly," she said, grabbing her pencil from where she dropped it. "Just working on my handwriting," she explained casually. Blake nodded understandingly.

"Right, you mentioned you were right handed," she mused. Yang raised an eyebrow.

"I mean I am but I don't remember saying that."

"Yesterday you told Pyrrha you can't pitch with your left hand. I assumed that meant you were right handed," Blake said, taking a seat on her bed. Yang gave her an impressed smile.

"I'm surprised you picked up on that," she said, earning a small shrug from Blake. "I've had to relearn how to do almost everything left-handed and I haven't practiced writing much. I didn't exactly need it this summer," she joked.

"But you need it now," Blake observed.

"Yup! Hence the practice," Yang said cheerfully, waving her pencil for emphasis. Blake flashed her a sympathetic smile that she hoped didn't come across patronizing.

"Good luck," she wished wholeheartedly, earning a laugh from Yang.

"Thanks, I'm pretty sure I'll need it."

* * *

 _ **Tuesday**_

"Good choices. Nice emotional range without being over the top," Yang observed, scrolling through the monologues on Blake's laptop as Blake stood behind her. "You're totally free to practice in here whenever. I mean, as long as I'm not sleeping or something," she added.

"I'm pretty sure you could sleep through a fire alarm," she deadpanned, but Yang could practically hear the smirk on the dark haired girl's face. Yang smiled as she turned to face her, feeling a small sense of satisfaction when she did see the smirk.

"I wouldn't go _that_ far," she protested weakly, earning an amused eyeroll.

"So what are you planning to perform?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Mind if I pull them up?" Yang asked, gesturing towards Blake's laptop. With her consent Yang did just that before standing up to let Blake read through them. She watched her read through them, and stiffened slightly when she saw a frown on her face.

"These are both comedic. Professor Ozpin said they wanted us to demonstrate range," she critiqued, earning a calculated shrug from Yang.

"That's what I do. I'm not cut out for serious roles," she said easily, hoping Blake wouldn't see through her. Unfortunately for her, she was already learning that Blake had a tendency to do just that.

"What makes you say that?" Blake asked, clearly unconvinced.

"I'm not exactly leading lady material," Yang dismissed with an exaggerated eye roll.

"Says who?" Blake challenged, crossing her arms. Yang scoffed.

"Says everybody? I mean they're all so...you know. Conventionally attractive, straight-"

"And human?" Blake asked, and Yang froze. Horror flashed through her face as she remembered exactly who she was talking to.

"Blake, I'm sorry I-"

"It's fine," she insisted, waving her hand dismissively. "So what if there aren't any disabled lesbian leading women? As a friend of mine once said, 'you'll just have to be the first'," she said, a small smile on her face. Yang could feel her cheeks heat up. "If you're deadset on doing these I won't stop you. But if you want to give it a shot I would be happy to help you find a new monologue," Blake offered. Yang thought it over for a minute.

"Okay then," she decided with a small smile.

* * *

 _ **Wednesday**_

Blake breathed a content sigh as she stepped back into their room, feeling refreshed from her shower. Yang was sitting on her bed, typing away on what Blake was pretty sure was a homework assignment. The blonde looked up from her work.

"I've got a question for you," she announced. Blake eyed her curiously. "Please stop me if this is offensive," Blake tensed in preparation, "but how does hearing work for you?" She asked, appearing genuinely curious.

"Um, what?" Blake asked, confused.

"You have four ears," Yang continued, as if that suddenly explained her question. "Does that mean you hear sounds from four different places? I mean it probably isn't weird for you since you've always had four ears but-" she stammered before groaning. "Sorry, I'm sure that's a rude question," she apologized.

"I wouldn't know what makes it different," Blake admitted. "They don't exactly teach Faunus anatomy in schools," she added with only a hint of bitterness.

"Even in Menagerie?" Yang asked, sitting up straighter.

"Even in Menagerie," Blake confirmed. "It may be one of the few places in the world where Faunus are the majority, but it's still governed by the laws and federal policies of Remnant," she explained.

"Which are made by a bunch of racist humans," Yang concluded.

"Exactly. We've tried to teach ourselves, but so much of that information requires research which requires money and an education. So many Faunus are trapped in a cycle of poverty; they're born into it and society actively works to make sure they stay there. Even the ones that break out are forced to either hide who they are or face discrimination on a daily basis in the workplace and on the streets," Blake said, growing more impassioned as she went on.

In the meantime, Yang watched her intently with an expression she couldn't read. Blake sighed. "I'm sorry, you didn't ask for a lecture," she apologized. Yang seemed taken aback.

"Don't be; it was important," she said simply. Her tone was so genuine that it caught Blake off guard. "I'm sorry if that was a rude question," she added. Blake shook her head.

"It's fine," she said truthfully. "Thank you for listening." Yang hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"You don't have to answer this if you don't want to but...have you ever done that? Hidden that you were a Faunus?" She asked. Blake debated whether or not she should tell her and eventually decided she could trust her.

"For two years in high school. All it took was a little black bow," she admitted. "But that's a story for another time; it's getting late."

* * *

 _ **Thursday**_

Blake sighed as she stared blankly at her computer screen. It was just her luck that she'd get a professor that would assign a five page essay on the first week of classes. She spared a glance to her roommate, who was humming to herself as she faced the same dilemma.

 _At least I'm not alone,_ Blake thought wryly. Yang groaned before popping out her headphones. "I'm gonna go for a coffee run, want anything?" She asked, standing up and stretching.

"Sure," Blake said, caught off guard. "Are you going to _The Vault_?" she asked, earning a perky 'yep' from the blonde. "Chai tea, no milk no sugar," she said, reaching around for her wallet.

"Oh don't worry about," Yang said dismissively.

"Are you sure?" Blake asked.

"Yeah, so long as you get the next one."

Blake smiled. "What makes you so sure there will be a next time?" She asked, amused. Yang laughed.

"Well, we're gonna have rehearsals and homework and essays...honestly, I'm convinced Oobleck's plotting to have us addicted to caffeine by the end of the semester," she joked, earning a chuckle from Blake.

"Fair enough," she relented, before watching her leave with a friendly wave. Blake couldn't help but smile as her gaze drifted across the now empty room. The sight of a book on Yang's desk caught her attention.

" _A History of Faunus Oppression_ by Saphira Lazul," Blake read, recognizing the book from reading it herself a few years ago. _She really meant what she said last night,_ she realized. Smiling, she returned to her essay until she heard footsteps approaching followed by a knock on the door.

Upon opening the door she was greeted by Yang with one of most over the top grins Blake had ever seen. "Sorry, I couldn't get at _hand_ le on it," she announced, obviously pleased with herself. Blake rolled her eyes fondly.

"That was terrible," she decided, taking her drink from the blonde and giving her her thanks. She waited for Yang to put her drink down before she continued. "If you're going to make bad puns you should at least _arm_ yourself first," she deadpanned, internally cringing at her own joke.

The look of complete and utter delight on Yang's face however was definitely worth it.

* * *

 _ **Friday**_

"What time do you want to meet up with everyone?" Blake asked, looking from her book to her roommate. It was the first Friday night after the start of the semester, and their newly found friends thought it would be a great idea to celebrate. Yang looked up, almost reluctant.

"I uh, I think I'm gonna pass tonight," she admitted. Blake frowned. Yang had been one of the masterminds behind their plans, which made the typically chipper girl's declaration even odder.

"Is everything okay?" Blake asked, concerned. She had been pretty sure that something was up all day just based on how...subdued her roommate had been acting.

"Yeah, I'm just…having a bad day," Yang admitted. "Nothing happened it just, well, happens sometimes. I'm not really feeling up to dealing with people tonight," she elaborated.

"Are people giving you a hard time?"

"Not really. I mean, people stare but I expected that. Or they assume I need help when I don't. I know it'll get better as the semester goes on, but right now I'm still getting used to it. Tonight I don't want to deal with any of that," she said, leaning back on her bed.

"What about a quiet night in then? We could watch a movie," Blake suggested. Yang shook her head.

"No, you should go hang out with everyone. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," she insisted.

"Honestly, staying in sounds like more fun," Blake said, waving her book to remind Yang who she was talking to. "I can leave if you really want to be alone, but I would be happy to keep you company," she added, giving Yang the choice. She could see her debating it in her head, confirming Blake's suspicions: no, she did not want to be alone.

"If you really don't mind," Yang decided hesitantly.

"Then it's settled. I'll let them know we can't make it tonight," Blake said, reaching for her phone and typing out a quick message to the group. "Sun knows I'm not much of a people person sometimes and auditions are tomorrow. They won't think anything of it," she assured, hoping to soothe her unspoken worries.

"Thanks," Yang said with a small smile. "Sorry for being such a mess," she joked weakly.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Blake said, grabbing her laptop. "Now come on, let's find a movie," she said, motioning for Yang to join her on her bed.

* * *

 _ **Saturday**_

Yang's alarm barely got through one beep before she turned it off, almost jumping out of bed. She went through her typical morning routine with a nervous excitement, and to her surprise Blake was already dressed by the time she got out of the shower.

"Are you ready for this?" Yang asked, grabbing her hair dryer.

"Theoretically, yes," Blake said, taking a sip of tea. It helped Yang to know that she wasn't the only one feeling nervous.

"We can do this," she said confidently, as much for herself as for Blake. Blake smiled at that, and the rest of the morning passed without incident. They reached the theatre with plenty of time to spare. It didn't take long for Professor Ozpin to greet the students.

"Good morning everyone. In a just a few minutes we will begin auditions. We will call you into the theatre in alphabetical order, where you will perform your monologues in front of myself and Professors Goodwitch, Oobleck, and Port. You are free to leave once your audition is complete. The cast list will be emailed to each of you by five o'clock this evening," he announced.

"They still haven't even told us what play we're doing," Weiss grumbled. Yang shrugged.

"I guess they don't want us to be influenced by it," she said. Yang knew she would've prepared differently if she knew the play if for no other reason than that she would already have a role she wanted to get.

"Doesn't make it any less frustrating," Blake said with a sigh.

"There's nothing we can do about it now, so let's go out there and do our best," Ruby said cheerfully. Yang smiled and took a seat against the wall.

"Sure thing sis," she said, before noticing the odd look Weiss was giving her. "They said alphabetical order, Weiss. If I'm gonna be here a while I wanna be comfortable," she pointed out, getting a groan out of the shorter girl when she realized that 'Schnee' would take a while to get to.

"That means Blake's probably going first," Ruby observed.

"Lovely," Blake deadpanned.

"Better first than last," Yang pointed out. "At least you get to get it over with," she said good naturedly.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you company," she said with a smirk.

"Aw, thanks Blakey! You sure know how to make a girl feel special," Yang joked, complete with dramatic hand gestures. Blake raised an eyebrow.

"'Blakey'?" she questioned. Any response Yang could give was cut short when the theatre door opened and Professor Oobleck appeared.

"Yes yes, we are starting auditions now! First on our list is a 'Blake Belladonna'. Come now, we don't have all day," he announced and Blake sighed.

"You can do this," Yang said reassuringly. Blake smiled.

"Thanks," she said before being ushered into the room by the whirling dervish known as Professor Oobleck. Yang turned to see Ruby and Weiss staring at her, Ruby with a look of absolute glee and Weiss with...amusement?

"What?" Yang asked, confused.

"Oh nothing," Weiss said as she pulled out her phone.

Somehow, Yang didn't believe her.

 **Author's note: Oh what ever will the play be? Who knows.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: And now for the moment we've all been waiting for: the reveal of the play/cast list! As always, thank you for all of the feedback and I hope y'all enjoy!**

"The cast list should've been up over an hour ago!" Yang groaned.

"Almost two," Ruby chimed in helpfully. The sisters were currently lounging on the floor in Weiss and Ruby's room. Weiss was patiently watching her computer screen, waiting for the email to show up, while Blake was sitting comfortably in one of the chairs.

"There must be a disagreement on the casting. And since Beacon doesn't do callbacks for the freshman play, we have to wait for them to make a decision," Blake observed, though it was clear from her tone that she was also tired of waiting. The sound beeping filled the room and Weiss's face lit up.

"It's here," she announced, catching everyone's attention.

"So what's the play?" Ruby asked, excited. Yang squeezed her hand in anticipation and gave Blake a reassuring smile. Weiss scanned through the introduction of the email.

"'We reserve the right change the cast list at any time'...looks like Blake was right about the disagreement," she mused, earning a sound of impatience from Ruby. She continued to read before letting out a sigh of disappointment.

"What is it?" Yang asked.

"Romeo and Juliet," Weiss announced with disdain. Yang groaned, a sentiment shared by Blake.

"Of course it is," she said. Ruby cocked her head.

"What's so bad about it?" She asked, curious.

"It's not the worst play in the world," Blake conceded, "but it _is_ overdone," she said.

"It's also really not that romantic. They know each other for like two days and that's it," Yang chimed in. "It could be fun though depending on who's who," she admitted. Weiss took that as her cue to move on to the actual cast list. An impressed smile found its way on her face.

"Jaune is Romeo," she announced, clearly surprised. Yang and Blake shared a knowing look while Ruby announced her excitement.

"Ten bucks says Pyrrha's Juliet," Yang deadpanned, to which Blake murmured her agreement. While she would love it to be someone else (she'd heard Blake practice enough to know she was good enough and that wasn't just her personal bias speaking), casting Jaune as Romeo didn't bode well for the other leads in terms of diversity. Weiss smirked.

"Pay up then," she said smugly, crossing her arms. Surprise was evident on both Blake and Yang's faces. Unable to contain herself, Ruby peeked over her roommate's shoulder, reading until she caught up with Weiss. Her face immediately lit up.

"It's Blake!" she announced excitedly. Yang's expression immediately mirrored her sister's while Blake looked completely stunned.

"Blake, that's amazing! Congratulations!" Yang said wholeheartedly, completely ecstatic for her friend. She jumped up to give her a crushing hug, not remembering that not everyone was as tactile as her until she pulled away. "Whoops, sorry," she apologized with nervous chuckle.

"It's fine," Blake said, slightly dazed. "You're serious?" she questioned, apparently not quite believing her ears.

"That's what it says," Weiss confirmed with a smile. Yang grinned when she saw Blake smile the biggest smile she'd ever seen on her.

"A-alright, what about everyone else?" she asked, seemingly embarrassed by the attention if the blush on her cheeks was any indication. Still, Yang could see she was happy. Weiss and Ruby continued scanning down the list.

"Sun's your friend right?" Ruby asked, getting confirmation from Blake. "He's Benvolio," she read off.

"Nice," Yang said.

"I'm Lady Capulet," Weiss announced, and Yang burst into laughter. "What?" she asked, clearly offended.

"I'm sorry, it's just-" she giggled, unable to keep a straight face. "That means you're Blake's _mom_!" she said before another bout of giggles hit her. Ruby quickly joined her and even Blake had to crack a smile.

"Who's the father?" Blake deadpanned.

"Some guy named Neptune," Ruby read. That actually got Blake to laugh.

"He's Sun's roommate," Blake explained.

"Pyrrha's the Prince," Weiss continued, a role that Yang believed suited the redhead. "Ruby and Penny are the chorus and...miscellaneous?"

"Probably some of the minor roles," Blake chimed in, earning an 'ah' from Weiss.

"It'll be fun! Penny's really nice," Ruby said cheerfully. Weiss continued reading, looking for other people they knew.

"I don't recognize the Montagues, but Nora's the Nurse-"

"Wait, really?" Yang asked with a frown. It wasn't that she wasn't happy for girl, but out of what was left she was sure that that was the part she'd get. "Who am I then?" she asked, unable to help the nervousness sweeping over her.

"Oh, Yang! You're Mercutio!" Ruby said, snapping Yang out of it. She felt a wave of relief pass over her, and then she really let it sink in.

"I think I can live with that," she joked, hoping no one had noticed her earlier internal panic. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "Wait. I totally get to do a sword fight," she realized gleefully.

"And if memory serves your reaction to getting stabbed is to make a pun," Blake added with a smirk. Yang's grin grew even wider.

"Ooh, who's playing the asshole that kills me?" She asked, getting up and walking over to Weiss's computer.

"Some guy named Cardin Winchester," Weiss said. Yang didn't recognize the name, and none of the others seemed to know it as well. Yang and Blake joined them in scanning over the rest of the email, which consisted of the rest of the cast list and a rehearsal schedule, which started in a little over a week. A buzzing sound caught everyone's attention.

"I should go; I'm supposed to be Skyping my parents," Blake said. "I'll see you all later," she said with a smile that Yang would almost call giddy.

"Bye Blake!" Yang said cheerfully, which was quickly echoed by Weiss and Ruby. She watched with a smile as Blake left the three of them alone. The trio sat in silence for a moment before Yang spoke up. "I think I'm gonna head out too. I should _probably_ call dad," she said with a nervous chuckle.

"You haven't talked to him yet?" Ruby asked, and Yang could hear the worry in her voice.

"I've been busy," she said dismissively. "I'll see you two tomorrow!" she said, waving goodbye and leaving before Ruby could say anything else. Yang pulled out her phone as she headed outside, deciding an evening walk would be nice. Her father picked up after two rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey dad," Yang said casually, hoping her nerves weren't showing in her voice. _Why am I so nervous_? She asked herself.

"Yang? About time you called. I haven't heard from you all week."

"Sorry, I've been busy getting settled in. It's been pretty crazy," she said with an easy laugh. Yang could hear him sigh.

"How've you been?"

"Just fine," Yang said, and she meant it.

"Oh really? Because that's not what I heard."

Yang could hear the skepticism in his voice. She knew Ruby wouldn't have told him about her panic attack (not that she'd told her sister it was a panic attack), but she also knew she wasn't the best liar. Something must've slipped out.

"I had an incident early this week but I took care of it," she said casually. "And I'd appreciate it if you took my word for it instead of trying to get it out of Ruby," she added dryly. After a brief pause, she sighed. "Look, I know you're worried about me, but I can take care of myself," Yang said, softening her tone. It took a moment for Tai to speak.

"Tell me about your first week."

"Classes are going smoothly right now and I'm already making a bunch of friends. Ruby's roommate is pretty cool and Blake is awesome," Yang said, unable to keep a smile off her face.

"Blake's your roommate right?"

"Yeah."

"Good, I was worried about that. Have you checked on your friends from Signal? I think Violet was supposed to start at Haven this week."

Yang froze. It took every last ounce of strength for her to find a neutral voice. "No, I've been busy," she said through gritted teeth. "We had auditions this morning. We're doing Romeo and Juliet," she said with as much cheer as she could muster, hoping to change the conversation.

"Do you know if you've been cast?"

"Yeah, I get to play Mercutio," Yang said, genuinely smiling. The more she thought about it, the more excited she was about the part.

"Isn't that one of the guys?"

Yang frowned. "Well yeah. Shakespeare doesn't exactly have a lot of women in his plays, so they have to flip some of the roles," she said, feeling slightly deflated by his reaction.

"I just hope this doesn't become a trend for you. You'll have a hard time finding a guy if they keep seeing you play boys and not girls."

Yang forced herself to let out a choked laugh as she struggled to maintain her composure. "I'm a little too busy to be worrying about guys right now," she joked weakly. _And a lot too gay_ she mentally added. "Anyway, I should get going. It's getting pretty late," she added, needing this to be over.

"Alright then. Be careful, and I love you."

"I love you too dad," Yang said as she hung up. With a groan she slumped onto a nearby bench to try and pull herself together. After a few minutes, an idea came to her. "Screw it," she muttered, standing back up and walking with a new sense of purpose.

* * *

"Hey mom, hey dad," Blake greeted with a warm smile.

"There you are! We were starting to worry about you," Kali said.

"Sorry about that, the cast list was posted late," Blake explained. She could see her parents' faces light up.

"Oh, how did it go?" Kali asked. The excitement on her face was a stark contrast the worry Blake could see on her father's.

"We're performing Romeo and Juliet, and I'm Juliet," Blake announced with a bashful smile. The reaction was instantaneous.

"That's wonderful!" Ghira declared, pride evident in his voice.

"We're so proud of you!" Kali agreed. "We can't wait to see it," she added, and Blake felt a surge of happiness at that.

"You seem to be adjusting well," Ghira observed after a moment.

"Are you making friends?" Kali chimed in. Blake smiled.

"More than I thought I would," she admitted, earning a pleasantly surprised gasp from her mother. "I think I might be becoming friends Weiss Schnee," she mused, still surprised herself. Her parents seemed equally shocked.

"A Schnee," Ghira repeated.

"A Schnee," Blake confirmed. "She's...something. I'm still not sure if I like her, but she seems to be a decent person. Decent for a Schnee at least," she said. Her parents didn't look convinced.

"How did you two meet?" Kali asked, ever the diplomat.

"She's a theatre major, so it was inevitable. She's also rooming with Ruby, Yang's sister," Blake said.

"How are things with Yang?" Kali asked. Blake couldn't help but smile.

"She sings in the shower, is way too perky in the morning, and she's a hugger," she said, unable to keep the fondness out of her voice. "She's wonderful," she said wholeheartedly.

"I'm sure she is," Kali said with mischievous glint in her eye. Blake fought off a blush.

"Has she given you any problems for being a Faunus?" Ghira asked.

"Not at all. She's been very considerate and willing to listen and learn," Blake said, earning a sigh of relief from her father. "I've gotten a few stares from other students, but nothing too overt," she added.

"How was your first week?" Kali asked. They spent the next thirty minutes talking, with Blake telling stories about college while her parents listened eagerly. Blake's ears perked up at the sound of a key turning and the door opening. Yang quickly followed, a bag in her arm as she radiated nervous agitation.

"Hi," Blake greeted, a frown forming on her face. "Is everything okay?" Yang fidgeted, and before she spoke she noticed Blake's computer was still open.

"Oh yeah," Yang said dismissively, but Blake didn't believe her. "Are you still Skyping your parents? Sorry about that, I can head back over to Ruby's if you want some privacy," she offered, slipping easily into a more cheerful disposition as she deposited her bag on her desk.

"No, it's fine," Blake insisted.

"It's getting late," Kali observed. "We'll get out of your hair. Don't be a stranger dear," she said with a smile.

"It was good hearing from you, Blake. Take care of yourself, and we love you," Ghira said. Blake smiled.

"I love you both," Blake said as the call ended. She shifted her attention to her roommate, who was currently browsing her phone with an unreadable expression. "Are you alright?" she asked seriously. Yang looked up.

"Yeah, I uh…" she paused before sighing. "Can we talk about this in the morning? It's getting late and I just…I need to sleep on something," she requested, and Blake's concern skyrocketed. It must have shone on her face because Yang immediately backtracked. "It's nothing bad, I swear," she said, throwing up her hand in defense.

"If you're sure," Blake relented reluctantly.

"Thanks. I promise I'll talk about it in the morning," Yang said, and Blake decided to trust her. "Besides, tonight's a night for celebrating! You're _Juliet_ for pete's sake," she added, flashing a smile that was genuine despite whatever was bothering her.

"I'm convinced that you're more excited than I am," Blake said wryly, a smirk on her face.

"Because you deserve the part," she said easily, earning a slight blush from Blake. "I'm serious! I've heard you practice, and you're pretty great," she said warmly.

"Flatterer," Blake said, fighting off a deeper blush.

"I do my best," Yang said with an exaggerated waggle of her eyebrows, getting a chuckle out of Blake.

"I'm going to take a shower ladykiller," she said with a fond eye roll, feeling immense satisfaction when she heard the blonde laugh and shoot back 'if only!'.

 **Author's note: Aaaaaaand it's Romeo and Juliet. Some of the other roles not listed already include Ren as Friar Lawrence, Mercury and Emerald as the Montagues, Russel Thrush as Paris, Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark as Abraham and Balthasar, and Sage and Scarlet as Samson and Gregory.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note: This one took longer than I wanted it to, sorry about that. It's also a little shorter than what I wanted it to be, but anything I wanted to add fits better with the next chapter (which hopefully won't take as long). Thanks always for the feedback and I hope you enjoy!**

"Are you sure about this?" Blake asked, standing beside Yang as they stared at the objects on her bed. "This is a really big step," she noted, eyes going to the shirt with 'World's Okayest Lesbian' printed on it. The other shirts had similar messages with a very common (and very gay) theme.

"Yeah, I think so," Yang said, and Blake could hear the nerves in her voice. "Go big or go home right?" she joked weakly.

"What brought this on?" Blake asked.

"I called my dad last night," Yang admitted. "And after being here for a week and actually being open about my sexuality it just felt so…so _wrong._ Not being out I mean, but pretending to be straight. And yeah I've only really come out to you and even that was an accident, but-" she sighed, pausing to gather her thoughts. "For the first time in my life I feel like I can actually be myself. Like I don't have to hide who I am anymore," she said seriously.

Blake placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a small smile. "Trust me, I get it," she said. Yang's eyes drifted upwards to her ears.

"Right, you mentioned you used to hide your ears," she recalled. Blake thought for a moment.

"Do you want to hear about it?" she asked, deciding that she trusted Yang enough to offer. Yang seemed surprised, but quickly recovered.

"Only if you feel comfortable talking about it," she said, making it clear she didn't want to pressure Blake.

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't," Blake said truthfully. "Besides, after hearing all of your dirty little secrets it's only fair I tell you some of mine," she teased with a smirk. Yang laughed.

"Hey, I haven't told you _everything_ ," she protested with a grin of her own. Blake didn't doubt it, but couldn't resist teasing her by raising a skeptical eyebrow. "I promise I've got tons of issues left," she joked.

"You're way too chipper about that," Blake noted a little more seriously. Yang shrugged.

"I never said I had a healthy way of coping. I don't use alcohol or drugs though so I could be a lot worse," she said nonchalantly. "But enough about me, you were going to tell me about the bow," she said, taking a seat as she steered the conversation back on track. Blake joined her, taking a moment to decide the best way to start.

"How familiar are you with the White Fang?" she asked.

"Not very. They're a Faunus rights group, right? I know there's a branch in Vale, but…"

"Their methods are a bit violent," Blake finished. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate Yang's tact, on the contrary she was touched, she just didn't intend to sugar coat her past. She trusted Yang enough for that. "The White Fang used to be a peaceful organization until my father stepped down as its leader."

Yang's eyes widened. "Your _dad_ used lead the White Fang?" she asked. Blake expected to hear the surprise, but Yang also almost sounded impressed. "That's pretty awesome." Blake raised an eyebrow.

"Awesome?" she questioned.

"Well yeah. I know you're super passionate about this. I think it's pretty cool that it runs in the family," Yang said with a shrug and a smile that Blake couldn't help but return. It didn't last long as Blake braced herself for what was next.

"I was practically born into the White Fang. My mother and father left when he stepped down, but I stayed. Even when our new leader started pushing for fear instead of equality I stayed because I believed in our cause. I was young and angry at the injustices that Faunus face. My parents...didn't approve," Blake said.

"What happened?" Yang asked gently.

"We fought...and I ran," Blake admitted. Yang put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "I wound up in Mistral, working with their branch of the White Fang. They wanted proof of discrimination in the school system, so a few of us enrolled. A few of us that could hide our heritage did," she continued.

"Hence the little black bow," Yang realized. Blake nodded before letting out a sigh.

"We picked fights with the human students to prove our point. The Faunus that didn't hide their traits received worse punishments than those of us that did, and we wanted to prove that. And then there were the rallies, and the raids...I did a lot of things I'm not proud of. I wanted to leave, but there were...complications," she said, wrapping her arms around herself.

"What happened?" Yang asked, wrapping her arm arm around Blake to pull her closer. Blake couldn't help but flinch and Yang instantly released her. "Sorry, habit," she apologized with a wince. Blake took a deep breath.

"It's fine," she said, silently cursing herself for her jumpiness. "Eventually, I worked up the courage to run and I wound up in Vale. When I started going to school, I kept the bow because I didn't want anyone to know about my past. I kept it up until I finally worked up the nerve to go home. My parents welcomed me back with open arms which is more than I deserved," she finished.

"You got out of a bad situation, so I'd say you deserved it. Besides, your parents love you," Yang said warmly. Blake smiled.

"They really do," she agreed. "I wish I could tell you that my time in Vale was terrible, but I can't. It wasn't the best time of my life but for once I wasn't treated differently because of my race. But I can honestly say that I have never felt more relieved than the moment I took off that bow," she said.

"Thank you for telling me all of that," Yang said seriously. Blake was surprised by her roommate's seemingly complete acceptance of her past in the White Fang, but she was quickly learning that Yang had a tendency to catch her off guard.

"Thank you for listening," Blake said earnestly, standing up. "Are you still up for doing this?" she asked, gesturing to the shirts on Yang's bed.

"Yeah," Yang said, sounding more sure of herself now. Blake smiled.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

* * *

When they finally went to meet their friends for lunch, Yang had decided on a bright yellow crop top with the words "Nobody knows I'm a lesbian" printed in rainbow. The first few steps were nerve racking, but as they walked it started to feel more and more comfortable.

Ruby's reaction was instantaneous. As soon as she read the shirt her face lit up and she ran and gave her sister a crushing hug. "I'm so proud of you!" she'd cheered. Yang had chuckled and squeezed her back before releasing her.

Weiss's reaction was...different. It took her several moments to realize what was going on, but she seemed more skeptical than anything. "Wait, are you seriously telling me you weren't out?" she'd asked, and Yang muttered that she didn't think she'd been _that_ obvious. Weiss disagreed.

Pyrrha handled it the same way she handled everything: with a friendly grace. Yang noticed a look of realization flash across her face, and Pyrrha admitted to hearing some rude things during softball season. That had killed the mood until Pyrrha announced that she thought Yang was wonderful just the way she was (Yang couldn't help but blush at that).

Jaune was the most surprised, which didn't come as a shock to Yang or anyone else. He'd still taken it really well, and then surprised them all by announcing he was bisexual. Only Ren seemed to have expected it.

Ren had offered her a knowing a smile and Yang couldn't help but wonder if she'd been the most obvious closeted lesbian on the planet.

Nora actually high fived her. "Girls are uh-mazing!" she'd said, earning a confused "wait you're gay?" from Jaune. "Noooooope! Pansexual," she'd announced cheerfully.

"Nice!" was Sun's response, with a grin that only faded after a receiving a glare from Blake. Neptune's reaction was much of the same, minus the over-enthusiastic grin.

"I knew majoring in Theatre would be gay but wow," Nora had joked, leading them to their current topic.

"Is _anyone_ here straight?" Weiss asked, eyes going around their group of friends one by one.

"Bi," Blake said when Weiss stared at her, and Yang shot Ruby a death glare when she saw her face light up.

"Same," Sun said with a shrug.

"Gay. You should be glad you missed my in-the-closet phase," Neptune said with a shudder that Yang could relate to.

"Panromantic and Asexual," Ren announced, giving Nora small smile which she returned tenfold. Weiss's gaze turned to Ruby, who fidgeted slightly.

"You don't have to say anything you don't want to," Yang assured her sister. Ruby hadn't told her she was anything but straight, but Yang had her suspicions. Even so, she knew from experience that it felt much better to come out on your own terms.

"Thanks sis," Ruby said wholeheartedly. "I'm still figuring things out," she admitted with a shrug, "But I think I might be asexual? And maybe aromantic? I'm not really sure," she said. Yang pulled her in for a tight, comforting hug, whispering how proud of her she was in her ear.

"That's okay. You've got plenty of time to figure things out," Jaune said warmly, and Ruby smiled.

"So that leaves Weiss and Pyrrha right?" Ruby asked, looking between the pair.

" _I_ am biromantic and demisexual," Weiss announced, and all eyes turned to Pyrrha.

"I suppose that makes me the token straight friend," she said lightheartedly, earning a few good natured laughs. Yang smiled. This may not have been how she expected this to go, but she was ecstatic about finding a group of people like her. Her good mood was evident even when she and Blake finally returned home, having enjoyed the day with their friends.

"So how does it feel?" Blake asked with a smile. Yang breathed a content sigh as she flopped onto her bed, unable to keep a smile off of her face.

"Amazing."

"It's a shame that you were right about Pyrrha," she teased, and Yang fought off a blush. Blake smirked at that.

"Even if she was bi or pan, she totally has eyes for Jaune. And that's fine, it's just a silly crush. I'd rather focus on college right now anyway," she said truthfully. A devious smile appeared on her face. "Sun's nice," she said innocently, feeling a twinge of disappointment when Blake merely rolled her eyes.

"We're just friends," she dismissed.

"You're no fun," Yang pouted, sticking out her tongue. That got a laugh out of the dark haired girl, which in turn made Yang smile. A brief silence fell before Yang spoke again. "Hey, I was gonna watch Romeo and Juliet, you know, for inspiration. Want to join me?" she asked, grabbing her laptop.

"Which version?" Blake asked, answering Yang's question by taking a seat next to the blonde on her bed.

"The Leonardo DiCaprio one," Yang said, earning an amused snort. "I know it's kinda ridiculous, but I kinda love it," she admitted sheepishly.

"You have terrible taste in movies," Blake said with a fond shake of her head. "But I have to admit that this version is entertaining," she relented, and Yang grinned, turning the volume on her laptop loud enough for them to hear.

"Shall we?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note: Hello again! I hope this chapter is as much fun to read as it was to write. Enjoy!**

Yang didn't like look of absolute glee on her sister's face that greeted her when she met with Ruby and Weiss for lunch. Today she was wearing her 'World's Okayest Lesbian' shirt and while she had gotten a few stares it felt nice being so open about it. "What is it?" she asked hesitantly.

Weiss's amused smirk unnerved her almost more than Ruby's grin. "Oh nothing. We were just wondering how long it will take you to finally ask Blake out," she said casually, causing Yang to flush.

"W-what are you talking about?" she stammered, thankful she hadn't been drinking anything.

"You like Blake!" Ruby said. The sheer bluntness of the statement as well as its not-so-subtle implication turned Yang's flush into a shade of red that almost matched Pyrrha's hair.

"She's just a friend!" she protested. It was pretty obvious that Ruby and Weiss didn't buy it.

"I didn't realize you flirted with all of your friends," Weiss said dryly.

"I don't flirt with her!"

"You kinda do sis."

"Traitor," Yang muttered beneath her breath, burying her face on the table and groaning. She could hear Ruby barely containing her giggles.

"Sorry Yang, but if even I can tell you two are flirting then you two are _really_ flirting," Ruby said not unkindly. "And I think it's great! You and Blake would be good together," she said cheerfully, and Yang pulled her head up.

"And we aren't the only ones that think so. Ren's had his hands full trying to keep Nora from plotting ways to get you to confess, and I saw the way Sun looked at you both when you came out," Weiss chimed in.

"There's nothing to confess! Besides, we don't... _flirt_ ," Yang argued weakly. "It's just friendly banter. We're friends and I feel comfortable around her," she said, regaining her composure. It wasn't a lie. She'd shared things with Blake that only Ruby knew and even a few things she didn't. Okay, so maybe she found Blake attractive but that was because she wasn't _blind._

"I've never seen you that comfortable around anyone before," Ruby pointed out softly.

"Yeah well she's not a giant homophobe so that helps," Yang deadpanned, only slightly bitter. She sighed. "Look, I know you two mean well but we're _just friends_ ," she insisted. Weiss and Ruby shared a glance before mutually sighing.

"If you say so," Weiss reluctantly relented. "But if you don't ask her out, someone else will," she said with a frown. Yang smirked.

"Interested in my roommate are you?" she asked, enjoying the look on Weiss's face when she turned the tables. When Weiss quickly changed the subject (after voicing her believable denial), Yang couldn't help but feel relieved.

She did _not_ have a crush on Blake.

Right?

* * *

"Congratulations again on getting the role of Juliet," Pyrrha greeted as she sat next to Blake in their class. Blake smiled.

"I'm sure you'd rather be the the Juliet to Jaune's Romeo," she teased lightheartedly, earning a blush from the redhead. "Don't worry, Jaune's not my type," she said with a smirk.

"I am fairly certain that 'tall and blonde' is your type," Pyrrha said wryly, and it was Blake's turn to blush. "Though I suppose you prefer blondes with a little more muscle."

 _She's not wrong_ , Blake thought, a smile forming on her face as she recalled the lovely view of Yang's arms and abs in a crop top. "Last I checked we have two friends that fit that description," she pointed out casually. If Pyrrha wanted to talk about her crush on Yang, fine, but that didn't mean Blake was going to make it easy.

"I don't believe you've been flirting with _Sun_ ," Pyrrha said, amused.

"No, I haven't," Blake conceded with a small smile. "Why are you so interested?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"I consider you both friends. Don't friends talk about these things with each other?" she asked. From anyone else it would have come across as a quip, but from Pyrrha it sounded almost like a genuine question.

"I guess they do," Blake said. It was a strange feeling knowing that she had so many friends, something she hadn't felt since she before she left Menagerie. She had to admit it was nice. "I think Yang is great. She's kind and considerate and yes, she's _very_ beautiful," she admitted with a smile that soon faded.

"But?" Pyrrha asked, as perceptive as ever.

" _But_ I'm not in a good place for a relationship right now," Blake admitted, trusting Pyrrha to be discrete. "And I know that she's not looking for one either. What she needs now are friends. _Real_ friends," she added.

"Friends who accept her for who she is," Pyrrha said, echoing Blake's sentiments.

"Exactly. And I am more than happy to be that for her," she said. _She's already been that for me_ she thought with a smile. "I really do like her and maybe someday I'll ask her out, but right now our friendship is more important."

"And if someone else asks her first?" Pyrrha asked, something Blake hadn't considered. She frowned for a moment.

"As long as she's happy I can live with it," Blake decided, ignoring the twinge she felt in her heart. "She deserves to be happy," she added wholeheartedly. _She deserves better than me_ she thought bitterly. Not wanting to dwell on it, she quickly changed the subject. "But I'm not the only one here crushing on a blonde. What about you and Jaune?"

* * *

Yang let out a sigh of relief as she stumbled through the door to her room, tired from a long day of classes. "Hello!" she sang in greeting. Blake responded by standing up from her bed and... _sauntering_ towards Yang.

"Hey yourself," she said smoothly as Yang set her stuff down. Yang could feel a her cheeks heat up as Blake walked closer and closer, until they were merely inches apart.

"H-hey," Yang stammered, earning a smirk from the raven haired girl.

"You already said that," Blake teased, and Yang could feel herself getting redder. "Aren't you happy to see me?" she asked innocently. Yang was about to answer, but instead let out a squeak when she felt a hand snake around her waist. That got a smirk out of Blake as she pulled Yang closer to her. "I know _I'm_ happy to see you," she purred, her other hand reaching Yang's face as she pulled her in for a searing kiss.

It took a full second for Yang to process what was happening, but when she did she decided she had no intention of stopping it. She leaned down towards the shorter girl, deepening the kiss as she felt herself moving backwards. Her hand found its way to Blake's waist, pulling the girl as close as humanly possible.

Their lips separated briefly when Yang felt her back hit the wall, but it only took a moment for Blake to recapture hers. Yang moaned at the sensation of being pinned between the girl and the wall. She fought back a squeak as she felt the hand on her waist drift downward to squeeze a cheek. Blake pulled away, a smirk on her face as Yang barely suppressed a whine.

"That was adorable," she said, the sensation of Blake's breath on her ear sending shivers down Yang's spine. This time Yang initiated the kiss, determined not to let Blake have all the fun. She could feel Blake's smirk which only drove her to kiss her deeper. Yang shifted her hand to Blake's rear, feeling a sense of satisfaction when Blake moaned.

"Two can play at that game," Yang said cheekily, earning an almost predatory smile from Blake.

"You asked for it," she said, diving back in. While one hand stayed on Yang's rear, the other made its way up, underneath Yang's shirt. The blonde gasped as cold fingers brushed across her bare skin. Her gasp turning to a breathy sigh when Blake's lips drifted down to her neck, and she shuddered as Blake chuckled into her kiss.

" _Shit_ ," Yang moaned. In her current distracted state, she almost didn't notice one of Blake's hands drifting, tracing the top line of her shorts. It wasn't until it stopped right below her belly button that she fully managed to process it.

"May I?" Blake asked, pausing as she looked Yang in the eye. Unable to form a coherent sentence, Yang settled for a shaky yet deliberate nod. Blake's smirk returned as she pressed her lips to Yang's, her hand slowly-

" _Wake me up! Before you go go, don't leave me hangin on like a yo-yo~"_

Yang awoke with a jump, completely disoriented. Her alarm continued for almost half a minute before she snapped out of her daze enough to turn it off. "Shit," she hissed, hoping she hadn't woken Blake up. To her surprise, her roommate wasn't in their room at all. "Oh thank god," she muttered, burying her face in her hand in mortification. She didn't think she could face Blake right now.

After a moment of trying to process what she just happened, Yang remembered that she should shower before class. She grabbed what she needed for her morning routine, opting for a cold shower while she worked through her thoughts.

 _It doesn't mean anything_ , she thought as she washed her hair, almost jumping when she unexpectedly dropped her shampoo in her distracted state. _You're just thinking about it because Weiss and Ruby think you have a crush on her_ , Yang rationalized as she picked up the bottle. _You don't really want to Blake to shove you against a wall_ , she told herself, ignoring the blush that thought caused.

Yet as she continued to shower Yang found it harder and harder to convince herself that she only saw Blake as a friend. _Even if by some chance you do like her, and you don't, she's way out of your league_ she thought to herself as she began to towel herself off. As she slipped into a pair of shorts and a tank top, her gaze shifted to her reflection in the mirror, resting on her stump.

"No. I am not doing this today," she decided, reminding herself that she looked fine just the way she was. _That's_ not _why she's out of your league,_ she told herself, forcing herself to take a deep breath. Dream Yang and Blake didn't have a problem with it. Still, months of body image issues didn't just disappear, no matter how much Yang wished they would.

Yang was still trying to dispel the dark cloud when she stepped back into her room, only to find Blake sitting at her desk with two cups of coffee (or was it tea?). "Hey," Yang greeted, mustering up a practiced cheer.

"Hey yourself," Blake said, looking up from her work. "Coffee?" she offered, handing Yang one of the cups.

"Sure," Yang said, a little stunned but accepting the cup. "What brought this on?" she asked, taking a sip: a steaming hot mocha with extra chocolate, which happened to be her favorite. "Woah, how'd you know?" she asked, her mood immediately improving. Blake smiled, and Yang's heart skipped a beat.

"A little bird named Ruby told me. We both have a long day today and I was heading out for coffee anyway. Besides, I owed you for last week," she replied easily, taking a sip of what Yang assumed was tea.

"Thanks," Yang said, genuinely touched.

"Are you okay? You seemed a little off when you came in," Blake observed.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Yang insisted, and she meant it. "It's just been a weird morning," she admitted, "but it's better now!" she finished with a genuine smile. Her eyes caught the time and she immediately jumped. "Crap, I gotta go," she said, remembering she'd been...distracted this morning.

"See you later," Blake said, which Yang echoed as she rushed off to class feeling practically giddy.

Wait. Giddy?

 _Shit._

She _totally_ had a crush on Blake.

* * *

It didn't take long for Ruby to answer her repeated knocks on her door. As soon as the door opened, Yang walked straight past her sister and Weiss to flop onto the nearest bed.

"Hey, that's my bed!" Weiss protested. Yang pushed herself up, glared at Weiss, and maintained eye contact as she walked over to Ruby's bed and dramatically fell face first on to it.

"I hate you both," she groaned into the bed. Yang looked up just enough to see the pair exchange confused glances.

"Uh, why?" Ruby asked, cocking her head.

"I have a crush on Blake," Yang muttered into the bed, so quiet she wasn't sure the pair heard her. When both continued to stare at her oddly, she knew they hadn't. "I said I have a crush on Blake," she grumbled, a little more audibly as she buried her face into the comforter. She didn't need to look at them to know that Ruby's face was one of pure delight if her excited squeal was any indication.

"And here I thought you'd be in denial for at least another week," Weiss said smugly. Yang groaned.

"Yang, this is great!" Ruby insisted as Yang sat up. "What made you realize it?" she asked.

"Nothing in particular," Yang lied, fighting a blush. Ruby didn't seem to catch it but Weiss certainly did. The white haired girl barely suppressed a chuckle. "And no, not great," she added hastily before Weiss could say anything.

"Why not?" Ruby asked with a frown.

"Well for starters she'd have to like me back," Yang pointed out. "And even if she did, I have no idea how... _this_ -" she gestured vaguely "-works," she admitted.

"Wait. Seriously?" Weiss asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"I was a closeted lesbian in a small town. There weren't exactly a lot of opportunities to figure out dating," she said dryly, seeing it click in Weiss's eyes. Yang sighed. "Look, I'm still getting used to this whole 'being out' thing. I don't think trying to jump into a relationship is a good idea right now."

"Fair enough," Weiss conceded, and Yang swore she could see a flash of understanding in her eyes.

"So what're you going to do?" Ruby asked.

"Nothing. We're just friends and I'm okay with that, honest," Yang said. She knew that Ruby of all people knew how much that meant to her. Besides, she refused to risk their friendship on the chance that Blake didn't feel the same way.

 _I'm pretty sure she's not looking for a relationship anyway,_ she thought, thinking back to some of the comments Blake made in the past.

 **Author's note: I debated up the rating thanks to this chapter, but I think it turned out PG-13ish enough to be fine.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: I am so sorry about that wait y'all, I blame Thanksgiving. That being said, I'm happy with how this turned out and I hope you enjoy!**

"You know, you have much better taste in movies than Ruby," Yang said as she closed her laptop.

"I can't say the same for you," Blake replied with a smirk. She could feel a question on the tip of her tongue, but she was reluctant to ask.

"What's up?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow in concern.

"I have a question," Blake admitted. "But I'm not sure how appropriate it is."

"Lemme guess: you want to know why I don't use a prosthetic," she said, smiling slightly when Blake's surprise showed on her face. "If you're hesitating to ask, it probably has to do with my arm. Plus I kinda thought it would come up after meeting Mercury," Yang explained casually, and Blake couldn't help but be impressed. They'd met Mercury at their first rehearsal and while he wasn't Blake's favorite person in the world she was glad Yang had someone who could relate to her situation.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," she said.

"I don't mind," Yang insisted. "The short version is I don't need one," she said nonchalantly.

"And the long version?" Blake asked, raising an eyebrow as she sensed there was more to it than that.

"Is long?" Yang offered, chuckling at Blake's unimpressed look before growing serious. "I actually wanted one at first. We met with a doctor about a month after the accident to talk about my options for a prosthetic. I'd spent the last month unable to even get dressed on my own and I… I just wanted to feel normal again," she admitted, quieter than Blake was used to. She squeezed the blonde's hand in encouragement.

"She took us through the steps we needed to take, from getting fitted for a prosthetic all the way to the physical therapy I'd need to learn how to use it. And I was okay with that, I knew it would take time...but then she told us how long. If I went through with it, there was a good chance that I wouldn't graduate on time," she explained.

"And you just wanted out," Blake said, realizing what happened.

"The thought of being in Patch any longer than I had to terrified me. So, I jumped back into school even though I wasn't ready for it. Somehow I made it to graduation, but I didn't start really dealing with what happened until this summer. That's also when we started looking at prosthetics again," Yang said, seemingly finding it easier to talk about the more she continued.

"How did it go?"

"Well, functional prosthetics are really expensive for starters. I've got a single dad putting two daughters through college and insurance doesn't cover a lot. You have to pay for the prosthetic itself, which won't last forever anyway, and the physical therapy to learn how to use it. Plus I'm missing my elbow which makes it even more expensive. Turns out it's a _pretty_ important joint," she joked. "Even if money wasn't an issue, I didn't want one. I _still_ don't want one," she said more seriously.

"Would it bother you if asked why?" Blake asked.

"I don't need it," Yang said simply. Blake thought she was going to leave it at that until she let out a small sigh. "When we discussed it over the summer, everyone talked about it like it would help me get back to normal. Except that for the last six months living with one arm _was_ my normal. Sure it's not the same kind of normal as everyone else but that's okay. It's just taken...it's just taking me awhile to get used to it," she said. "Besides, a prosthetic wouldn't magically fix the problems I still have," she added with a shrug.

"Like the stares?" Blake asked.

"Like the stares," Yang confirmed, a small but genuine smile on her face. "And other...stuff," she said lamely. Blake raised an eyebrow.

"Like…?" she asked. She could see Yang internally debating.

"It's not a big deal, don't worry about it," she said after a moment, clearing backing down from her previous statement. Blake easily saw the lie for what it was; the blonde's eyes were too expressive to hide that something else did bother her.

"You can talk to me," Blake urged gently, knowing it would do her good.

"It's dumb," Yang said dismissively, shaking her head before meeting Blake's gaze. Apparently Blake gave off the supportive air she was going for, because Yang let out a small sigh. "I...I'm still getting used to looking at myself," she admitted, her voice too small, too quiet. Blake's eyes widened, not expecting that answer.

"Yang…"

"It took me months before I could look at myself in a mirror, and when I did I-" her voice caught in her throat. Blake could see her take a deep breath and she steeled herself for what her friend would say next.

"I _hated_ what I saw."

The amount of self loathing in her voice broke Blake's heart. How could someone so wonderful think so little of herself? Blake wasn't a hugger, but she knew Yang was so she wrapped her arms around her, hoping to give her some comfort. When Yang gave her a small squeeze before letting her go Blake knew she made the right decision.

"I know there's nothing wrong me. I _know_ I'm more than my arm. And I'm okay with having just one, really I am," she insisted, and Blake knew enough about her to know it was truth, even if she could see her fighting to keep her voice steady. She rubbed her shoulders in soothing circles, letting her talk through it. "Which is why I know it's stupid and I shouldn't be insecure about it. And it's gotten better but...I still have bad days sometimes. I look in the mirror and all I can see is a stump," she admitted, her gaze focused on the arm in question.

"Well for what it's worth...I think you're beautiful," Blake said, offering her a small smile. Yang's head snapped up, meeting Blake's gaze with an expression she couldn't place.

"You don't have to do that," she said quietly as she looked away. Blake frowned.

"I'm serious. Yang, you're one of the most beautiful women I've ever met, inside and out, one arm or two," she insisted. Gently she place a hand on Yang's face, moving to look her in the eye. "And I'm not just saying that because I'm your friend," she added. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as they stared at each other, with less distance between them than Blake intended. The spell was broken when Yang hid her head in her knees, likely to hide the deep red Blake caught on her cheeks.

"No one's ever called me that before," she whispered, quiet enough the Blake might not have heard it without her second set of ears.

"What?" Blake asked with a flat disbelief. Yang lifted her head, cheeks not quite as red now.

"I mean, I know I was... _am_ attractive," she began, and Blake was proud of her correction even if she was a bit saddened by the fact that Yang would use past tense at all. "But I've always been called hot or sexy. Well that or I'd be 'complimented' on my breasts," she explained, rolling her eyes. "I guess what I'm trying to say is...thanks," Yang said with a shy smile. Blake smiled back, when suddenly an idea came to her.

"Say, would you feel like going out tonight?" she asked. Yang stared at her for a moment.

"Who are you and what have you done with my roommate?" she asked, confused.

"I'm her evil twin and I'm planning to kidnap you," Blake deadpanned, giving Yang a smirk. Yang must've found it funny because she burst into laughter, causing Blake to smile. "Sun and Neptune are planning to check out Cosmos tonight and invited me along. I'd rather not be their third wheel," she said, trusting Yang to catch her meaning.

"Ooh, I've been wanting to check it out. They'll let us in even though we're eighteen right?" she asked. Blake nodded.

"They'll give us a mark so that the bartenders know we're underage, but yes. Have you ever been to a gay bar before?" she asked with a mischievous smile. Yang snorted.

"Yeah, we have _tons_ back in Patch," she deadpanned. "What about you?"

"I have not."

"I guess there's a first time for everything!" Yang said cheerfully. "It'll be nice to share mine with someone special," she added with a playful wink.

"I would be honored to be your first," Blake said, playing along with a smirk of her own.

* * *

Once they'd agreed to go out, Yang declared that she was going all out. It wasn't until they were getting ready to meet Sun and Neptune that Blake understood what that meant.

...which was why she was currently gawking at her roommate. Her golden low cut top accentuated her curves in the best way, as did her black miniskirt and black thigh high stockings. Yang was already taller than her despite the fact that Blake usually wore heels, and the not-so-small heel on her black ankle boots made her even taller.

In short, she looked _good_.

A lot better than good if Blake was being honest.

Blake on the other hand felt a little underdressed in comparison. She'd gone with black skinny jeans and her favorite black boots, along with a simple gray and purple crop top. Apparently Yang thought she looked fine if the wolf whistle she gave was any indication.

"Daaaaamn girl," she complimented, looking Blake up and down.

"You're one to talk," she said pointed out with a smirk before a knock on the door caught their attention. "I hope you don't mind if I bring a friend," Blake said as she welcomed Sun and Neptune. She didn't miss the mischievous glint in his eyes as he looked from her to Yang.

"Not at all," Sun said, giving her a knowing wink. Blake rolled her eyes as they started the short walk to Cosmos. "I'm surprised you decided to come, Blake," he said, making small talk.

"Isn't college supposed to be about trying new things?" Blake shot back easily. "Besides, I'm sure it will be fun," she said, sharing a smile with Yang. She didn't miss the smile that grew on Sun and Neptune's faces but fortunately Yang did. They got into the club with no incident, albeit with stamps that identified them as underage.

The inside of the club wasn't as loud as Blake was expecting, which she was immediately grateful for. Some people danced to the music, some chatted at the bar, and some were scattered throughout the club, making conversation with whoever was around them. There was a nice mix of human and faunus patrons, which Blake was immediately grateful for. She'd read that Cosmos was a faunus-friendly environment, but reading and seeing were two different things. Unsure of what to do, they were soon greeted by a pair of women, both brunettes but one a human and the other a rabbit faunus.

"I take it this is your first time at Cosmos?" the human woman asked, clearly amused as she wrapped an arm around her companion's waist.

"That obvious?" Yang asked with a nervous chuckle.

"There's nothing to be nervous about; we're all friends here. I'm Velvet, and this is Coco," Velvet introduced. "Aren't you four in the Theatre program at Vale? I swear I've seen you around the department. Coco and I are second years," she said.

"Yeah, we are!" Sun replied, with an enthusiasm shared by the rest of the group. They shared small talk for a while and soon the group's initial nervousness faded away. Eventually Sun and Neptune went to dance while Coco and Velvet met up with some other friends. Yang and Blake fell into a comfortable silence as they people watched, until Blake spoke up.

"You're awfully quiet," she observed. She would've have been concerned had it not been for the look of wonder she saw in Yang's eyes.

"I'm not used to seeing people being so open," Yang admitted, eyes dancing from couple to couple. "It's...really great," she said, unable to hide her happiness. Blake couldn't help but smile.

"See anyone you want to flirt with?" she teased, satisfied when she could see Yang flush despite the darker lights of the club.

"N-no, I'm fine just watching tonight," she stammered before something caught her attention and she gasped. "I love this song!" Yang said, almost jumping in place. "Dance with me?" she asked almost shyly, offering her hand to Blake.

If it had been anyone else, Blake would have said no, she doesn't dance. If it had been anyone else she probably wouldn't be in a club in the first place. But this wasn't just anyone asking; it was _Yang_. Sweet, kind, _beautiful_ Yang, with an endearing nervousness and a hint of hope in her lilac eyes. God, Blake could get lost in those eyes.

"I would love to," Blake said with a genuine smile, a smile that grew bigger as the already sunny blonde lit up. She took Yang's hand and let the girl lead her to the dance floor, and it didn't take them long to find their rhythm together.

"You're a great dancer!" Yang complimented as they moved in time with the beat.

"You're not bad yourself," Blake returned, comfortable enough to wrap her arms around Yang's neck as they swayed, and she soon felt a hand on her hip. To her surprise the intimate gesture felt natural, though she could see the question on Yang's face: _Is this okay?_ Blake merely smiled in response, content to keep on dancing with her.

It didn't take long for Yang's nervousness to seemingly fade, and soon Blake swore she heard her start to hum along with music. They danced like that for the rest of the song, and for the rest of the next song and the next song, until Sun and Neptune came over to them.

"Hey guys, we're about to head out," Sun said.

"What time is it?" Blake asked as Yang pulled out her phone.

"Oh shit," the blonde muttered, showing the time to Blake: it was almost two in the morning. "Yeah, we should probably go too," Yang said and Blake agreed.

"You two looked like you were having fun," Sun said with a knowing smirk as they started the trip home. Blake fought back a blush and she could have sworn she saw Yang do the same.

"It was nice," Blake admitted, sending a glare to Sun to tell him to drop it. When he held up his hands in self defense she knew he received the message.

"Oh _shit_ ," Yang repeated as they got to their door, her cheeks now a shade of red that rivaled Pyrrha's hair as she looked at her phone. Blake raised an eyebrow, frowning when Sun and Neptune immediately fled the scene looking very guilty. Reluctantly she pulled out her own phone to find a couple dozen messages from the groupchat they had with their friends when she found the source Yang's blush: about five or so pictures of the two of them dancing _very_ closely.

She was going to _kill_ them.


End file.
